The City of South Bend requested an assessment of the city’s current housing situation from both a rental and owner-occupied perspective. The research team analyzed social, demographic, and economic data available from the U.S. Census as well as residential housing data sources (e.g. Zillow). With this data, models were created to find commonalities within the data at a Census Block Group level to group them into clusters or “profiles”. The team then used these “profiles” to perform statistical and inferential analyses to illustrate similarities and differences among granular areas of the City of South Bend.
The results shown in greater detail in this paper found five clusters of similar Census Block Groups. These five clusters have unique and differentiating characteristics, and they span many areas of the greater South Bend area. While some are naturally grouped in close geographic proximity, it is enlightening to see Block Groups from geographically different areas of the city and outlying areas clustered together. This paper will explain the process used to extract the data, the methodology behind the models created to cluster the data, and the statistical analysis done on the clusters to create “profiles”.
The primary source of data for this analysis was the American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the US Census Bureau. The ACS is an ongoing survey that provides vital information on an annual basis about the nation and its people. Information from the survey generates data that helps drive federal and state funding decisions. The data is made available via API from the US Census website, and for our analysis we used the 2017 data for St. Joseph County - which includes South Bend. The US Census divides geographic areas into two primary categories: a Census Tract and a Census Block Group. These are simple geographic perimeters defined by census officials. Tracts can be made up of one or more Block Groups. For St. Joseph County, there are a total of 76 Census Tracts and 227 Census Block Groups. The ACS provides a vast number of variables from which we selected approximately 104 variables for our analysis. We focused on using the Census Block Groups in our modeling as that provided more granular areas for potential clustering; however, Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) was conducted on both Block Group and Tract data. See Appendix A for a full list of variables used.
The maps and data tables below show data related to all the block groups in St. Joseph’s county.
| Population | Two Person Families | Education - GED or Alternative | Household Income - $45,000 - $49,999 |
| Housing Units | Three Person Families | Education - Less Than 1 Year College | Household Income - $50,000 - $59,999 |
| Occupied Housing Units | Four Person Families | Education - More Than 1 Year Collage - No Degree | Household Income - $60,000 - $74,999 |
| Vacant Housing Units | Five Person Families | Education - Associates Degree | Household Income - $75,000 - $99,999 |
| Owner-Occupied Units | Six Person Families | Education - Bachelors Degree | Household Income - $100,000 - $124,999 |
| Renter-Occupied Units | 7 or More Person Families | Education - Masters Degree | Household Income - $125,000 - $149,999 |
| Units for Rent | 1 Person Non-families | Education - Professional School Degree | Household Income - $150,000 - $199,999 |
| Rented, Non-Occupied Units | 2 Person Non-families | Education - Doctorate Degree | Household Income - $200,000 or More |
| Units for Sale | 3 Person Non-families | Commute - Car, Truck or Van | Median Rent/Income |
| Sold, Non-Occupied Units | 4 Person Non-families | Commute - Drive Alone | Median Housing Cost |
| 25th Percentile Home Value | 5 Person Non-families | Commute - Carpool | Median Non-family Income |
| 50th Percentile Home Value | 6 Person Non-families | Commute - 2 Person Carpool | Median Rent - No Bedrooms |
| 75th Percentile Home Value | 7 or More Person Non-families | Commute - 3 Person Carpool | Median Rent - 1 Bedroom |
| Median Owner Cost - Mortgage | Labor Force | Commute - 4 Person Carpool | Median Rent - 2 Bedrooms |
| Median Owner Cost - No Mortgage | Civilian Labor Force | Commute - 5 or 6 Person Carpool | Median Rent - 3 Bedrooms |
| Median Owner Cost/Income - Mortgage | Civilian Labor Force - Employed | Commute - 7 or More Person Carpool | Median Rent - 4 Bedrooms |
| Median Owner Cost/Income - No Mortgage | Civilian Labor Force - Unemployed | Commute - Public Transportation | Median Rent - 5 or More Bedrooms |
| Median Family Income | Military Labor Force | Commute - Bus or Trolley | Median Rent |
| White Population | Non-Labor Force | Commute - Subway or Elevated Train | Aggregate Income Deficit |
| Black Population | Education - No Schooling | Commute - Railroad Train | Aggregate Income Deficit - Married |
| Native American Population | Education - Nursery School | Commute - Ferry Boat | Aggregate Income Deficit - Nonmarried |
| Asian Population | Education - Kindergarten | Commute - Taxi | Aggregate Income Deficit - No Wife |
| Pacific Islander Population | Education - First Grade | Commute - Motorcycle | Aggregate Income Deficit - No Husband |
| Other Population | Education - Second Grade | Commute - Bicycle | Median Household Income |
| Two or More Races Population | Education - Third Grade | Commute - Walk | Median Household Income - Owners |
| Median Age | Education - Fourth Grade | Commute - Other Means | Median Household Income - Renters |
| Median Age - Male | Education - Fifth Grade | Commute - Work from Home | Commute - Streetcar or Trolley Car |
| Median Age - Female | Education - Sixth Grade | Household Income - Less than $10,000 | Empolyed - No Vehicles Available |
| Households | Education - Seventh Grade | Household Income - $10,000 - $14,999 | Empolyed - 1 Vehicle Available |
| Family Households | Education - Eighth Grade | Household Income - $15,000 - $19,999 | Empolyed - 2 Vehicles Available |
| Family Households - Married | Education - Ninth Grade | Household Income - $20,000 - $24,999 | Empolyed - 3 Vehicles Available |
| Family Households - Other | Education - Tenth Grade | Household Income - $25,000 - $29,999 | Empolyed - 4 Vehicles Available |
| Non-family Households | Education - Eleventh Grade | Household Income - $30,000 - $34,999 | Empolyed - 5 Vehicles Available |
| Non-family Households - Alone | Education - Twelfth Grade - No Diploma | Household Income - $35,000 - $39,999 | |
| Non-family Households - Not Alone | Education - High School Diploma | Household Income - $40,000 - $44,999 |
The map below shows the boundaries of the census Block Groups, colored by their profile. Additionally, neighborhood boundaries from the South Bend Neighborhood Resources Connection.
Below, the data table shows the average values of the Block Groups that are contained within each profile.
Below, the data table shows the total values of the Block Groups that are contained within each profile.
Next, geospatial analysis is conducted to find Block Groups that overlap with the Neighborhood Resource Council’s defined neighborhoods.
First, a map of the neighborhoods is created for reference.
Next, a table is created which lists each neighborhood, the block groups that overlap with that neighborhood, and the variables for those block groups.
Below, a table is created that shows the average values of the block groups that touch each neighborhood.
This section will dive deeper into each individual profile.
Below is a map of profile 1. A few key statistics for each block group are shown when that block group is clicked.
Below are unique characteristics of Profile 1.
Below are unique characteristics of Profile 2.
This section will find block groups that overlap with the city limits and those that do not. The average values of the variables will be shown for in-city and out-city block groups, as well as the county as a whole.